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CEC boys hockey taking on Superor in the old barn. I've seen lots of practices in there, but not an actual high school game

kniven wrote:CEC boys hockey taking on Superor in the old barn. I've seen lots of practices in there, but not an actual high school game

Going there for East-Cloquet games used to be a great experience, insane atmosphere.

Lee

east hockey wrote:

kniven wrote:CEC boys hockey taking on Superor in the old barn. I've seen lots of practices in there, but not an actual high school game

Going there for East-Cloquet games used to be a great experience, insane atmosphere.

Lee

I wish I could jump into a time machine and go back to one of those games in the barn. What are some of the memories that stand out to you Lee. Please share .....

Awesome. Danny and I wandered in there after attending the CEC-EP game a couple weeks ago just to see it, and loved it...we were trying to picture thousands of people in there for an East-Cloquet game, and mostly failing. Such a low ceiling, and the locker rooms were so tiny and dingy...would have loved to have seen it in its heyday.

karl(east) wrote: Awesome. Danny and I wandered in there after attending the CEC-EP game a couple weeks ago just to see it, and loved it...we were trying to picture thousands of people in there for an East-Cloquet game, and mostly failing. Such a low ceiling, and the locker rooms were so tiny and dingy...would have loved to have seen it in its heyday.

https://youtu.be/6omA5SUPcnI

kniven wrote:

karl(east) wrote: Awesome. Danny and I wandered in there after attending the CEC-EP game a couple weeks ago just to see it, and loved it...we were trying to picture thousands of people in there for an East-Cloquet game, and mostly failing. Such a low ceiling, and the locker rooms were so tiny and dingy...would have loved to have seen it in its heyday.

https://youtu.be/6omA5SUPcnI

The Pine Valley Ice Arena and Cloquet Recreation Center is located at 1102 Olympic Drive 55720. This is the home of the Cloquet Boys and Girls Lumberjacks hockey programs and the Cloquet youth hockey association. The Pine Valley arena was built in the late 1960's by 100% local volunteer labor, and was funded by door-to-door solicitation by the hockey program. The arena project was spearheaded by then head coach, Bill Kennedy. The Pine Valley arena opened for skating in 1970 featuring seating for 900 spectators, and had natural ice. Volunteer parents, and players pitched in to help flood the rink on cold Cloquet nights. Eventually, in 1978 artificial ice was added to the arena. The original Cloquet rink is namely called "The Barn" since it uniquely looks like an old barn from the outside and just "reaks" of hockey tradition and the smell of old wood on the interior. The Pine Valley Arena served as the primary rink, with an adjacent outside natural rink until 1997 when the Cloquet Recreation Center was erected. The Recreation Center is todays home of the Lumberjacks High School team and has seating for over 2,000 people. Local players in Cloquet claim the "Ice in the Barn is still better than the newer rink". Possibly proving they just don't build things the way they used to! Many Division 1 and NHL hockey players have donned the purple and gold colors of the Lumberjacks in the Pine Valley Arena, including Corey Millen, Derek Plante, and Jamie Langenbrunner. Derek and Jamie both returned to Cloquet for a ceremony after they captured the Stanley Cup together with the 1999 Dallas Stars, when they defeated the Detroit Red Wings in the finals.

Coldest arena I've been in. The people even more so.

Goldyismoldy wrote:Coldest arena I've been in. The people even more so.

Yikes!!

Back in the mid-90's I was in the barn as a photographer for a local tv station. After the intermission between the 2nd and 3rd periods, an epic fight broke out between both teams. They were just skating around and everything erupted. Pretty much everyone involved.. Cloquet fans decided to try to get in to it from over the low glass. They were met with a forest of East sticks. Craziest thing I have seen in all my years covering high school and college hockey. Needless to say, I had my camera rolling. We were not allowed to air it, but it was used in a story about violence in sports later on. I have not seen that video since the late 90's. Destroyed in a fire.

kniven wrote:

kniven wrote:

karl(east) wrote: Awesome. Danny and I wandered in there after attending the CEC-EP game a couple weeks ago just to see it, and loved it...we were trying to picture thousands of people in there for an East-Cloquet game, and mostly failing. Such a low ceiling, and the locker rooms were so tiny and dingy...would have loved to have seen it in its heyday.

https://youtu.be/6omA5SUPcnI

The Pine Valley Ice Arena and Cloquet Recreation Center is located at 1102 Olympic Drive 55720. This is the home of the Cloquet Boys and Girls Lumberjacks hockey programs and the Cloquet youth hockey association. The Pine Valley arena was built in the late 1960's by 100% local volunteer labor, and was funded by door-to-door solicitation by the hockey program. The arena project was spearheaded by then head coach, Bill Kennedy. The Pine Valley arena opened for skating in 1970 featuring seating for 900 spectators, and had natural ice. Volunteer parents, and players pitched in to help flood the rink on cold Cloquet nights. Eventually, in 1978 artificial ice was added to the arena. The original Cloquet rink is namely called "The Barn" since it uniquely looks like an old barn from the outside and just "reaks" of hockey tradition and the smell of old wood on the interior. The Pine Valley Arena served as the primary rink, with an adjacent outside natural rink until 1997 when the Cloquet Recreation Center was erected. The Recreation Center is todays home of the Lumberjacks High School team and has seating for over 2,000 people. Local players in Cloquet claim the "Ice in the Barn is still better than the newer rink". Possibly proving they just don't build things the way they used to! Many Division 1 and NHL hockey players have donned the purple and gold colors of the Lumberjacks in the Pine Valley Arena, including Corey Millen, Derek Plante, and Jamie Langenbrunner. Derek and Jamie both returned to Cloquet for a ceremony after they captured the Stanley Cup together with the 1999 Dallas Stars, when they defeated the Detroit Red Wings in the finals.

This is all great, except they most certainly did not defeat the Red Wings in the SCF. They were in the same conference at that time. They defeated the Sabres.

jg2112 wrote:

kniven wrote:

kniven wrote: https://youtu.be/6omA5SUPcnI

The Pine Valley Ice Arena and Cloquet Recreation Center is located at 1102 Olympic Drive 55720. This is the home of the Cloquet Boys and Girls Lumberjacks hockey programs and the Cloquet youth hockey association. The Pine Valley arena was built in the late 1960's by 100% local volunteer labor, and was funded by door-to-door solicitation by the hockey program. The arena project was spearheaded by then head coach, Bill Kennedy. The Pine Valley arena opened for skating in 1970 featuring seating for 900 spectators, and had natural ice. Volunteer parents, and players pitched in to help flood the rink on cold Cloquet nights. Eventually, in 1978 artificial ice was added to the arena. The original Cloquet rink is namely called "The Barn" since it uniquely looks like an old barn from the outside and just "reaks" of hockey tradition and the smell of old wood on the interior. The Pine Valley Arena served as the primary rink, with an adjacent outside natural rink until 1997 when the Cloquet Recreation Center was erected. The Recreation Center is todays home of the Lumberjacks High School team and has seating for over 2,000 people. Local players in Cloquet claim the "Ice in the Barn is still better than the newer rink". Possibly proving they just don't build things the way they used to! Many Division 1 and NHL hockey players have donned the purple and gold colors of the Lumberjacks in the Pine Valley Arena, including Corey Millen, Derek Plante, and Jamie Langenbrunner. Derek and Jamie both returned to Cloquet for a ceremony after they captured the Stanley Cup together with the 1999 Dallas Stars, when they defeated the Detroit Red Wings in the finals.

This is all great, except they most certainly did not defeat the Red Wings in the SCF. They were in the same conference at that time. They defeated the Sabres.

Oops!

kniven wrote:

east hockey wrote:

kniven wrote:CEC boys hockey taking on Superor in the old barn. I've seen lots of practices in there, but not an actual high school game

Going there for East-Cloquet games used to be a great experience, insane atmosphere.

Lee

I wish I could jump into a time machine and go back to one of those games in the barn. What are some of the memories that stand out to you Lee. Please share .....

The 1994 game which erupted into a fight during the skatearound. Clint Johnson (East forward) had a ritual of tapping the opposing team's goalpost as he skated past. Cloquet players took serious exception to it and the battle was on. If you can get a copy of the '94 section title game, they replayed part of the fight.

The overall atmosphere was driven by the fact you were so close to the ice and players! And it was loud, incredibly loud. Intimidating to the other team if you hadn't been there before, and a little bit even if you had.

It was always a fun "road trip" for the East fanbase, trying to knock off the Jacks in their own crib. Or in this case, own barn.

Great place. I like the new place because of the site lines, and it can get loud, but nothing like the old Barn was.

Lee

Thanks Lee. A great story !

east hockey wrote:

kniven wrote:

east hockey wrote: Going there for East-Cloquet games used to be a great experience, insane atmosphere.

Lee

I wish I could jump into a time machine and go back to one of those games in the barn. What are some of the memories that stand out to you Lee. Please share .....

The 1994 game which erupted into a fight during the skatearound. Clint Johnson (East forward) had a ritual of tapping the opposing team's goalpost as he skated past. Cloquet players took serious exception to it and the battle was on. If you can get a copy of the '94 section title game, they replayed part of the fight.

The overall atmosphere was driven by the fact you were so close to the ice and players! And it was loud, incredibly loud. Intimidating to the other team if you hadn't been there before, and a little bit even if you had.

It was always a fun "road trip" for the East fanbase, trying to knock off the Jacks in their own crib. Or in this case, own barn.

Great place. I like the new place because of the site lines, and it can get loud, but nothing like the old Barn was.

Lee

I played in that game, and yes, we did take exception to Clint's antics In this day and age of hockey and cell phone video/social media I could not imagine what the outcome would have been for suspensions for players for both teams. I remember boxing Reid Kern in the corner during that melee. I'm fairly certain of the ~20 players on each team, not a one was holding a stick by the end...except when our dillrod fan starting smacking East players on the head from over the low glass...i think Spehar picked up a stick and started swinging it over the glass like a tomahawk. In the end I think we had 3 players from each team get 4 mins each for roughing...as insane as that sounds. The majority of the period was played 3 on 3. I was actually surprised nothing started in the penalty box, as those who remember the old barn will note - there was only 1 box and no divider. One little bench on one side and one little bench on the other. The penalty box attendant must have been crapping his pants.

A lot of that was built up from the prior year when Langenbruner got run after the game at the DECC. The next season was like a powder keg on top of the disdain for each other that already existed.

Lee is right, it was a very loud building to play in. We had a rabid fan base and I'm quite certain the fire marshal squeezed in a lot more than the 1000 it was slated for. There were times we would score and we couldn't even hear that loud siren going off as the place was so bonkers. I can't imagine what other teams thought when they'd come in. And most games, the full band was there in the far corner, which added to the decibel level. I was glad I graduated before the new rink was complete, that old barn was something special to us.

karl(east) wrote: Awesome. Danny and I wandered in there after attending the CEC-EP game a couple weeks ago just to see it, and loved it...we were trying to picture thousands of people in there for an East-Cloquet game, and mostly failing. Such a low ceiling, and the locker rooms were so tiny and dingy...would have loved to have seen it in its heyday.

Who's Danny?

elliott70 wrote:

karl(east) wrote: Awesome. Danny and I wandered in there after attending the CEC-EP game a couple weeks ago just to see it, and loved it...we were trying to picture thousands of people in there for an East-Cloquet game, and mostly failing. Such a low ceiling, and the locker rooms were so tiny and dingy...would have loved to have seen it in its heyday.

Who's Danny?

The third guy on the YHH podcast team, along with Tony and me. Have a listen to acquaint yourself with his sultry voice. He's an STA grad, which is unfortunate, but he does attend as many HS games as anyone out there. He appears around these parts occasionally as Squirt C'00.

karl(east) wrote:

elliott70 wrote:

karl(east) wrote: Awesome. Danny and I wandered in there after attending the CEC-EP game a couple weeks ago just to see it, and loved it...we were trying to picture thousands of people in there for an East-Cloquet game, and mostly failing. Such a low ceiling, and the locker rooms were so tiny and dingy...would have loved to have seen it in its heyday.

Who's Danny?

The third guy on the YHH podcast team, along with Tony and me. Have a listen to acquaint yourself with his sultry voice. He's an STA grad, which is unfortunate, but he does attend as many HS games as anyone out there. He appears around these parts occasionally as Squirt C'00.

Maybe a good reason to listen, maybe a STA guy I could tolerate.

elliott70 wrote:

karl(east) wrote:

elliott70 wrote: Who's Danny?

The third guy on the YHH podcast team, along with Tony and me. Have a listen to acquaint yourself with his sultry voice. He's an STA grad, which is unfortunate, but he does attend as many HS games as anyone out there. He appears around these parts occasionally as Squirt C'00.

Maybe a good reason to listen, maybe a STA guy I could tolerate.

Hey hey wait I resemble that remark....

gitter wrote:

east hockey wrote:

kniven wrote: I wish I could jump into a time machine and go back to one of those games in the barn. What are some of the memories that stand out to you Lee. Please share .....

The 1994 game which erupted into a fight during the skatearound. Clint Johnson (East forward) had a ritual of tapping the opposing team's goalpost as he skated past. Cloquet players took serious exception to it and the battle was on. If you can get a copy of the '94 section title game, they replayed part of the fight.

The overall atmosphere was driven by the fact you were so close to the ice and players! And it was loud, incredibly loud. Intimidating to the other team if you hadn't been there before, and a little bit even if you had.

It was always a fun "road trip" for the East fanbase, trying to knock off the Jacks in their own crib. Or in this case, own barn.

Great place. I like the new place because of the site lines, and it can get loud, but nothing like the old Barn was.

Lee

I played in that game, and yes, we did take exception to Clint's antics In this day and age of hockey and cell phone video/social media I could not imagine what the outcome would have been for suspensions for players for both teams. I remember boxing Reid Kern in the corner during that melee. I'm fairly certain of the ~20 players on each team, not a one was holding a stick by the end...except when our dillrod fan starting smacking East players on the head from over the low glass...i think Spehar picked up a stick and started swinging it over the glass like a tomahawk. In the end I think we had 3 players from each team get 4 mins each for roughing...as insane as that sounds. The majority of the period was played 3 on 3. I was actually surprised nothing started in the penalty box, as those who remember the old barn will note - there was only 1 box and no divider. One little bench on one side and one little bench on the other. The penalty box attendant must have been crapping his pants.

A lot of that was built up from the prior year when Langenbruner got run after the game at the DECC. The next season was like a powder keg on top of the disdain for each other that already existed.

Lee is right, it was a very loud building to play in. We had a rabid fan base and I'm quite certain the fire marshal squeezed in a lot more than the 1000 it was slated for. There were times we would score and we couldn't even hear that loud siren going off as the place was so bonkers. I can't imagine what other teams thought when they'd come in. And most games, the full band was there in the far corner, which added to the decibel level. I was glad I graduated before the new rink was complete, that old barn was something special to us.

Great stuff gitter! There has got to be video out there somewhere. Classic hockey rivalry. So they played in the barn till 97? So did spear and his evil twin play against Jamie? In high school/youth hockey?

kniven wrote:

gitter wrote:

east hockey wrote: The 1994 game which erupted into a fight during the skatearound. Clint Johnson (East forward) had a ritual of tapping the opposing team's goalpost as he skated past. Cloquet players took serious exception to it and the battle was on. If you can get a copy of the '94 section title game, they replayed part of the fight.

The overall atmosphere was driven by the fact you were so close to the ice and players! And it was loud, incredibly loud. Intimidating to the other team if you hadn't been there before, and a little bit even if you had.

It was always a fun "road trip" for the East fanbase, trying to knock off the Jacks in their own crib. Or in this case, own barn.

Great place. I like the new place because of the site lines, and it can get loud, but nothing like the old Barn was.

Lee

I played in that game, and yes, we did take exception to Clint's antics In this day and age of hockey and cell phone video/social media I could not imagine what the outcome would have been for suspensions for players for both teams. I remember boxing Reid Kern in the corner during that melee. I'm fairly certain of the ~20 players on each team, not a one was holding a stick by the end...except when our dillrod fan starting smacking East players on the head from over the low glass...i think Spehar picked up a stick and started swinging it over the glass like a tomahawk. In the end I think we had 3 players from each team get 4 mins each for roughing...as insane as that sounds. The majority of the period was played 3 on 3. I was actually surprised nothing started in the penalty box, as those who remember the old barn will note - there was only 1 box and no divider. One little bench on one side and one little bench on the other. The penalty box attendant must have been crapping his pants.

A lot of that was built up from the prior year when Langenbruner got run after the game at the DECC. The next season was like a powder keg on top of the disdain for each other that already existed.

Lee is right, it was a very loud building to play in. We had a rabid fan base and I'm quite certain the fire marshal squeezed in a lot more than the 1000 it was slated for. There were times we would score and we couldn't even hear that loud siren going off as the place was so bonkers. I can't imagine what other teams thought when they'd come in. And most games, the full band was there in the far corner, which added to the decibel level. I was glad I graduated before the new rink was complete, that old barn was something special to us.

Great stuff gitter! There has got to be video out there somewhere. Classic hockey rivalry. So they played in the barn till 97? So did spear and his evil twin play against Jamie? In high school/youth hockey?

They only played against Jamie as freshman in the 92-93 season. They were 2 years younger than him so never in youth hockey. I had the displeasure of playing against them in peewees and bantams. They were very good players.

You have a favorite story playing hockey with Jamie? How many years you play with JL15 youth-HS?When did and what's the story in your eyes of Esko and Carlton joining forces with Cloquet?

kniven wrote:You have a favorite story playing hockey with Jamie? How many years you play with JL15 youth-HS?When did and what's the story in your eyes of Esko and Carlton joining forces with Cloquet?

I never did play HS hockey with him....as most know he left for Peterborough of the OHL the 93-94 (his senior) season, where I believe he still holds the record for most points scored by a rookie (91). So he was not involved in the infamous Barn Brawl. I was a sophomore that year along with his younger brother. Favorite memory...probably of Jamie getting stitches before the state tournament from playing knee hockey in the basement...I want to say the 92 season...but I'm getting old and memory is fading. Any rate on the video introduction there he is with a stitched lip

When I was in squirts Esko and Carlton had their own teams, and then at the peewee and bantam level they would combine with Cloquet. So I've only know it really with the combined program, though it was still just called Cloquet back then. They almost had to - because when I say 'their own team's they only had one squirt team (probably 12 players) for each city - which just isn't enough to field a team and be competitive. I have no idea if Carlton and Esko have their own squirt teams anymore or if they combine with Cloquet right away now? I don't live in the area anymore....

gitter wrote:

kniven wrote:You have a favorite story playing hockey with Jamie? How many years you play with JL15 youth-HS?When did and what's the story in your eyes of Esko and Carlton joining forces with Cloquet?

I never did play HS hockey with him....as most know he left for Peterborough of the OHL the 93-94 (his senior) season, where I believe he still holds the record for most points scored by a rookie (91). So he was not involved in the infamous Barn Brawl. I was a sophomore that year along with his younger brother. Favorite memory...probably of Jamie getting stitches before the state tournament from playing knee hockey in the basement...I want to say the 92 season...but I'm getting old and memory is fading. Any rate on the video introduction there he is with a stitched lip

When I was in squirts Esko and Carlton had their own teams, and then at the peewee and bantam level they would combine with Cloquet. So I've only know it really with the combined program, though it was still just called Cloquet back then. They almost had to - because when I say 'their own team's they only had one squirt team (probably 12 players) for each city - which just isn't enough to field a team and be competitive. I have no idea if Carlton and Esko have their own squirt teams anymore or if they combine with Cloquet right away now? I don't live in the area anymore....

Carlton and Esko have not had their own Squirt Teams for quite some time. However, Esko will be fielding Squirt teams next year from what I hear. I've also heard rumors from some Esko folks that there would be interest from some in forming a Co-Op with Proctor if Proctor's new Arena goes through. I think that's probably unlikely, but kind of interesting to think about. That would create a great Class A Program in Esko/Proctor and Cloquet/Carlton would still have a great program in AA. Could be an overall good thing for Hockey up here if it ever happened. But like I said, probably pretty unlikely.

Jeffy95 wrote:

gitter wrote:

kniven wrote:You have a favorite story playing hockey with Jamie? How many years you play with JL15 youth-HS?When did and what's the story in your eyes of Esko and Carlton joining forces with Cloquet?

I never did play HS hockey with him....as most know he left for Peterborough of the OHL the 93-94 (his senior) season, where I believe he still holds the record for most points scored by a rookie (91). So he was not involved in the infamous Barn Brawl. I was a sophomore that year along with his younger brother. Favorite memory...probably of Jamie getting stitches before the state tournament from playing knee hockey in the basement...I want to say the 92 season...but I'm getting old and memory is fading. Any rate on the video introduction there he is with a stitched lip

When I was in squirts Esko and Carlton had their own teams, and then at the peewee and bantam level they would combine with Cloquet. So I've only know it really with the combined program, though it was still just called Cloquet back then. They almost had to - because when I say 'their own team's they only had one squirt team (probably 12 players) for each city - which just isn't enough to field a team and be competitive. I have no idea if Carlton and Esko have their own squirt teams anymore or if they combine with Cloquet right away now? I don't live in the area anymore....

Carlton and Esko have not had their own Squirt Teams for quite some time. However, Esko will be fielding Squirt teams next year from what I hear. I've also heard rumors from some Esko folks that there would be interest from some in forming a Co-Op with Proctor if Proctor's new Arena goes through. I think that's probably unlikely, but kind of interesting to think about. That would create a great Class A Program in Esko/Proctor and Cloquet/Carlton would still have a great program in AA. Could be an overall good thing for Hockey up here if it ever happened. But like I said, probably pretty unlikely.

Yeah. Esko hockey numbers are through the roof. I haven't heard the Esko/Proctor hockey angle. Esko was talking having their own squirts 3 years ago in my sons first year of squirts. I said no to staying in Esko for squirts. I wanted him in the big arena in Cloquet with Cloquet and Carlton kids. It seems Carltons numbers are good too. At this point, there are zero kids from Carlton on the high school teams. None on Bantam or PeeWee AA teams neither. Esko kids all over the place on all squads high school and youth.